Blog posts by Bob Manuel
The metaphor of "walking" is often used in Scripture to describe our lives with God (Gen.5:24; 17:1; Gal.5:16; I John 1:7). "Our God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isa.40:29-31). Perhaps Isaiah "descends" in intensity here, from soaring, running, and ending with walking, because he knows most of us don't soar or run every day, but we do and can "walk". My overall hope with each blog entry? To encourage you to walk with me as I walk with Him.
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Bob Manuel
Pastor
Come to Good Friday. Come to Resurrection Sunday!
Come. Come to Good Friday. Then, come to Resurrection Sunday. There are moments in my days, where I feel the darkness of what made Good Friday necessary. Sometimes the darkness within me takes note of the darkness around me in this world. Yet, the deeper...
Grace – A blue-eyed blonde?
Grace, as one person has said, is not a blue-eyed blonde. As silly as this initial quote might sound, we do need to ask then, what is grace? Grace. It is one of those words that has become so “Christianized” that if we are not careful, we can lose its wonderous...
Of Presents and Presence
Perhaps you have heard before this interplay between the words “Presents” and “Presence”. I think it is especially pertinent and potentially helpful to us during this frenzied time of the year we call Christmas. In this week’s blog, let’s look at these two words...
The Advent of Love
This week, as I try to prepare our congregation for the Advent of Jesus, I will be preaching on December 4th on the topic of love. Can I be real with you? Yes? Thanks! So here goes: Personally, I find it hard to talk about God’s love. And pastorally speaking, I...
Advent & Hope
In my last blog I tried to share with you the idea of Advent and our longing for Jesus, lyricized in Fernando Ortega’s song “Give me Jesus”. Ortega prayerfully asks to receive Jesus in the morning when he rises, to receive Jesus when he is alone, and to receive Jesus,...
Advent: Give me Jesus
Probably like a lot of preachers, on Sunday mornings I arrive at church very early. As one tradition puts it, I like to make sure I am “fessed up and forgiven” before I dare open the Word of God to preach and teach. But, more than that, I’m trying to “find” Jesus...
Proposition 3: A Sad Day to be a Michigander
The recent news after the mid-term elections is not all that good. In fact, I am feeling sadder than sad. Only the biblical concept of lament comes even close to what I feel: “This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning...
Walking in the Dark
"Walk with Me" is the overall theme of this blog. It's nice when someone does. You know, it's nice to not have to walk alone. But. Sometimes we do walk alone. Sometimes we must walk alone. At least it sure feels that way. Sometimes. But somehow, even when it feels...
Revelation, The Lion and the Lamb: Some Reflections on Strength and Weakness
I love the book of Revelation. Among other things, it me that our time on this earth is short. It profits a man’s soul greatly to read it (1:3; 22:7). It reminds me, as I read it, that the “powerful” of this day and age are living a short-term...